


Eyes Turned Skyward

by Esdeem



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 13:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11253693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esdeem/pseuds/Esdeem
Summary: Shortly before the Trial at the Wind Shrine, Rose is haunted by nightmares and finds herself unable to sleep. But she's not the only awake, and a rare occurrence might finally help her come to terms with her feelings...





	Eyes Turned Skyward

**Author's Note:**

> For the two people who made me ship this. You know who you are.

The currents carried the small paper bird higher, at first only a few tantalizing inches from her fingertips, then further and further away, shrinking into the distance as it soared to the clouds. She gave chase, her legs burning as tears streamed down her face. She couldn't stop as she screamed loud enough for her throat and lungs to ache. But the bird floated higher, until it was little more than a pinpoint in the sky. And then... lost from her sight forever.

 -===-

Rose awoke with a start, her makeshift pillow damp from a cold sweat. Thankfully she hadn't cried out, as no one around the campsite had even stirred. She took a moment to catch her breath and calm her nerves. The dreams started a few days earlier, as they made their way toward the Wind Shrine and the final of the four trials. They were always the same and impossible to make sense of. Perhaps Lailah or Edna might be able to discern the meaning, but she'd been too nervous to mention to either of them.

_Just a side effect of the Squire's pact_ , she told herself.

As her eyes adjusted to the pale light of the moon, she took in her surroundings once more. While she'd been right in saying that she'd not awoken any of her companions, she noticed one of the sleeping pallets was empty.

Dezel.

Quietly, she stood and strapped her knives into place. Instinct kicked in as she studied her surroundings and caught sight of a trail where the grass had been trodden down. It led into the nearby forest. She crept toward the trees, careful not to make a sound.. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, and it didn't take her long to catch sight of Dezel, crouched down behind a tree near a small clearing.

“Hey, what are you--”

“Shhh!” he whispered. “You'll startle them.”

“What are you going on about?” This time, she kept her voice low.

“If you're going to stay, you'll need to keep your mouth shut.” He waved her closer nonetheless, and she crept closer.

In the clearing in front of them, two birds circled one another. They were almost tall enough to look Edna in the eye, one a brilliant red with white markings around its eyes and a jet black bill. The other was a pale yellow and white, perhaps a little smaller than the first. Both moved slowly, their eyes locked on one another.

“Are they about to fight?” Rose asked.

“Just watch,” he replied.

They circled each other a few times, then stopped suddenly. Both twisted their heads to one side then the next, and the more colorful bird's tail fanned out behind it.

“Scarlet cranes,” Dezel said with a whisper. “Incredibly rare, you're lucky if you ever see _one_ in your lifetime. This is their mating ritual, to find the ideal partner.”

“They're flirting?”

“If you want to put it that way.”

“And you're watching them?”

“Of course not.”

“Oh. Um, sorry.”

“But I can feel their movements through the wind. This is such a rare event, there's hardly anything about it in the ornithological literature.”

“Dress it up with all the fancy words you want, you're spying on a bird date.”

Dezel gritted his teeth. “Must you?”

She gave him a gentle slap on the shoulder. “I could've used another word besides date, y'know.”

“If you're going to mock me, you're more than welcome to go back to bed.”

“Nah, it is kinda interesting.”

The movements of the red crane looked like a well choreographed dance now as it pranced from side to side, forward and back and even twirled on one leg, all while moving its neck to keep its head in virtually the same spot. The other didn't move, and Rose could almost sense a silent, judging expression on its face.

“They can live for a hundred years or more,” Dezel whispered. “But they choose a single mate and remain with them for their entire life.”

“So the big dance number helps them decide somehow?”

“You notice how precise it is. The theory is that each is very particular about what it wants, but it's never the same thing.”

They watched in silence for a few minutes, until the more colorful of the two stopped. Then, to Rose's surprise, the yellow one started its own dance, similar but with a different sequence of movements.

“They both do the dance?”

“Of course they do. The fit needs to be right for both of them.”

“Huh. Never heard of that before.”

“It's probably part of the reason they're so rare. They might well go extinct one day, since it's not a very good survival strategy.”

“Well, as long as they're happy, right?”

“If they find that match. Some people say there are scarlet cranes who will go decades without finding a mate. Maybe there are some that never do.”

Rose was silent a moment as the dance continued in front of them. “Well, that sucks.”

“Or you could look at it as a miracle that so many of them are able to find just the right person.”

“Whoa. That was kinda deep _and_ sweet. Are you sure you're feeling okay?”

“These Trials, they're making us face some deeper truths about ourselves.” He grunted. “Besides, I'm perfectly capable of being deep when I feel like it.”

“We don't get to see that side of you that much.”

“Maybe because _some_ people would see fit to mock it.”

“I didn't know it bugged you.”

He said nothing in reply, so instead they continued to watch. The pair was trading dances now, each going faster than the last.

“It sorta reminds me of what we heard about Lailah and the Sacred Blade Festival. Waiting all that time to find someone with resonance.”

“Not just resonance,” Dezel said. “That's important, but she needed someone like Sorey, someone who was able to take on the burden of the Shepherd without hesitation.” He paused, as though he debated continuing the thought. “There was a time when we were forced to obey humans, but to do that the humans needed to strip away our individuality. When personalities clashed, it makes the connection more difficult.”

“I see.”

“It was easier for Lailah to work with Sorey because their personalities meshed. His closeness with Mikleo made it easier as well.”

“You know what's strange? I've always... found it easier with you.”

Dezel turned away and said nothing.

“I guess I kinda understand. We're more similar to one another than any of the others. Maybe that's why I always like teasing you.”

“Lucky me.”

“Way to make me feel special.”

The birds had stopped, both staring at each other silently, not even moving.

“You said they mate for life. What happens if one of them...”

“No one really knows for sure, but there's a legend about it I heard once. Supposedly, the remaining crane just keeps flying, higher and higher, until it loses all its strength and falls out of the sky.”

“How sad.”

“You can look at it that way. But the story said it was inspiring in a way, the bird kept soaring as long as it could without them. And when it stopped, they were reunited in the next world.”

“Huh.”

“It's rare, to find a bond that strong.”

“You called it a miracle before.”

“So I did.”

She hadn't even realized that she'd moved her hand to rest on top of Dezel's until she felt her fingers wrap around his. He tensed at first, but didn't push her hand away.

“I'm glad I met you, Dezel.” She leaned against him gently. “In some ways, it feels like I've known you all my life.”

The tension returned, and she could hear his breath quickening. “Rose, there's something--”

He was interrupted by loud squawks as the two cranes spread out their wings then dashed into the forest, side by side.

“What're they doing now?”

Dezel actually chuckled. “What do you think?”

“Oh, right.”

“We should get back, before anyone misses us.” He started to stand, but Rose held his hand tight.

“Y'know what you were saying earlier, about these trials getting us to realize certain truths?” She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “It's been the same for me.”

He didn't reply. Maybe couldn't reply.

“Can I ask you something?”

He nodded.

“When you reach out with the wind, can you... see me?”

“It's not like sight, but...” He hesitated a second. “I... know what you look like.”

She reached out and gently caressed the side of his face with her fingertips. “And I've come to see you, the longer we've traveled together.”

“Rose, I--”

“I've had a lifetime of regrets, Dezel. Who knows if we'll make it past the Trial of Wind, or everything else we're up against. If I can leave this world with less of them, I'll be happy.”

She expected him to pull away, but when she leaned forward to press her lips against his, he returned the kiss. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and the world around them faded away for a precious few seconds. Reluctantly, she pulled away.

“I've been wanting to do that for a while.”

“...so have I.” Maybe it was her imagination, but in the pale moonlight it almost looked like Dezel was blushing.

“It was better than I imagined.”

“It sounds like you've been thinking about this a lot.”

“Not gonna lie, I have.”

“You know there are no guarantees after this.”

“That's a chance I'm willing to take.”

“So what happens now?”

He might not've been able to see it, but Rose smirked and raised her eyebrows as she took hold of his hands and led them to the belt holding the sheaths of her knives in place.

“What do you think?”

 -===-

“Hey!” Zaveid reached out and grabbed the hat as it tumbled off his head. “The wind out here's been merciless.”

“Kind of silly for a wind seraph to complain about the wind, isn't it?” Edna asked as they pressed forward.

“It's not like I can stop it.” Zaveid clung to the brim of the hat as it continued to whip around them.

Rose walked at the back of the group, grinning as the wind seraph complained. There was probably nothing to it, but she liked to believe the way the currents tormented him was a final gift from a friend. She then turned her attention to the skies above. For the last few hours, a tiny red and black speck soared in the distance. It hadn't stopped since they left Pendrago, and showed no signs of slowing down.

Her heart ached, but she'd keep soaring as long as she could without him.

And with a smile, she said to the wind, “See you again one day.”

 -===-

_“For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” -_ Leonardo da Vinci

 

 

 


End file.
